Heating systems based on "hot water" provide comfortable efficient heating of residential and other buildings. Hot water systems are particularly popular in certain areas of the country. Hot water systems which employ radiant heating panels are well known, but there have been problems associated therewith.
Generally speaking, hot water radiant heating panel systems use water which is heated in a boiler or water heater. In most cases the source of the heated water is located some distance from the radiant heating panels. In conventional copper or galvanized pipe systems, the water leaving the boiler in the copper tubing or galvanized pipe typically has a temperature of about 180.degree. F. which approximates the temperature to which the water is heated in the boiler. The 180.degree. water looses heat as it is pumped through the copper or galvanized pipes by radiation, conduction and convention from the time it leaves the boiler until it reaches the radiant heating panels. The further the boiler is located from the radiant heating panels, the greater the heat loss will be. Moreover, copper or galvanized pipes containing 180.degree. water are hot enough to cause severe burning if they are inadvertently touched.
The prior art systems which employ copper conduit to carry the heated water to radiant heating panels made from aluminum or other metals, provide effective heat transfer between the heated water and the aluminum panel through the copper pipe and therefore have been deemed to be the most efficient materials of choice by the prior art. However, as explained above, such copper conduit systems have both heat loss and safety problems.